On Saturday September 17th, the 16th Annual Native American Music Awards was an evening filled with beauty, love, laughter and tears from actors, comedians and musicians in Native American entertainment.

Interspersed with moving musical tributes and highly dynamic performances, it was an emotionally and spiritually charged event with special award recipients ranging from from elder and Living Legend Award recipient, Saginaw Grant, Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Joseph FireCrow, Entertainers of the Year Williams and Ree, and Hall of Fame inductee Taboo, who leaked to the audience that a new Black Eyed Peas recording is in the near future.

A special appearance was made by the family of nominee Joseph Flying Bye, whose recording, Putting The Moccasins Back On, was post humously nominated in two categories. His son, Allen Flying Bye and ten other family members, drove all the way from Standing Rock, North Dakota to the show. In a showing of unity and solidarity, they received an overwhelming response from the attendees supporting their opposition of the Dakota Access pipeline. Several weeks prior, Seneca President John had visited with Standing Rock Tribal Chairman David Archambault II. Recently, nominees of the Native American Music Awards contributed their songs to a free Cd entitled, Water Is Life to support the Standing Rock Sioux Community.

Awarded Entertainers of the Year, the comedy duo Williams and Ree who were at the inaugural awards show back in 1998, had the entire audience laughing with both their spoken skits and their songs.

Traditional performances were held by the Awards' youngest nominee and rising star, 12 year-old hand drummer, Nizhoo Sullivan, as well as Theresa Bear Fox and the Akwesasne Women Singers, and Joseph Fire Crow who also picked up the tempo with a contemporary song performed with the Ed Koban house band.

Shelley Morningsong took the coveted Artist of the Year award, and commanded the stage with a stellar performance of singing and playing flute as her husband and musical partner, Fabian Fontenelle performed in his stunning regalia.

Best Pop Recording winner, Spencer Battiest, and his brother Doc, gave an impressive performance with a moving ballad and a hip hop song.

John Trudell’s tribute was held in two parts; a song entitled DNA, by Annie Humphrey who has previously collaborated with Trudell, and Ancestors Song, by Thana Redhawk featuring the intertwined words of both Trudell and Redhawk.

The evening closed with a bittersweet moment when the award for Record of the Year went to the late Jim Boyd for his last recording, Bridge Creek Road. His wife Shelly, was on hand to accept the award accompanied by 15 members of Jim’s family including Jim’s eldest son, daughter, his sister, nieces and nephews. Their somber acceptance was followed by a tribute performance held by Keith Secola and Jim’s long time drummer Alfonso Kolb along with special guests Annie Humphrey and Sage Bond.

Other award winners in attendance include; Logan Staats for Debut Artist of the Year, David Rose and Pete Barnhart for Debut Duo of the Year, Rona Yellow Robe for Flutist of the Year, 7 Trees for Best Historical Recording, Connor Chee for Best Instrumental Recording, Conrad Benally for Best Inspirational Recording, Blue Flamez for Best Music Video, B of Dakota South Records for Song of the Year, Sue Straw for Best Spoken Word Recording, Women of Heart for Best Traditional Recording, and Michael Longrider for Native Heart.

The Native American Music Awards extends their sincerest congratulations to all the Award winners.

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Censored News was created in 2006 in response to censorship by Indian Country Today. Longtime ICT staff writer Brenda Norrell was censored repeatedly, and terminated in 2006. Now in its 11th year, with more than 13 million views, Censored News publishes a collective of Indigenous and other grassroots writers focused on human rights. Censored News is a media whistleblower site. Censored News has no grants, sponsors or advertising. It is totally reader supported. brendanorrell@gmail.com